Boatless Summer?

[Timm R Oday25]

I didn't launch last summer as I thought replacing a bulkhead would be a bigger deal than it turned out to be.
As I'm on a private mooring ,chances are I'll launch and sail by myself .As the last few years have gone by there have been fewer and fewer people sailing out of Milwaukee . I interact with almost no one when I've sailed in the past few years . That's a big reason I love sailing .

 

[Hydro Therapy]

Im in NJ which is the 2nd most infected state. My storage facility is closed. My marina is open and somehow deems themselves essential.

 

[dlochner]

My marina is open and somehow deems themselves essential.

My guess, they sell fuel and are a place of accommodation, once your boat is there you can stay on your boat.

 

[Hunter216]

@Rich Stidger
You paint a very good picture of the dilemma(s) I find myself facing each day. I find myself needing/wanting something, then go through an analysis of how do I get it. Nothing unusual about that part.

I now go through the NEW steps of:

Can or should I get it given what’s happening right now?
Is it truly essential?
Does it expose myself or others to health risk?
Does it potentially stress the limited capacity of existing health, first responders systems?
Does it encourage others to take a risk that maybe they shouldn’t currently take?
If I don’t do it does that impact someone’s ability to support their family?
Does it impact my financial situation?

More often than nought I fall back to the overwhelming advice/mandates etc to go home - stay home and do whatever you can to stop or limit the spread.

 

[Bob J.]

I received a notice from the Harbormaster saying the floating docks & harbor boat were going in shortly so they could begin setting the moorings up for this coming season. I sent my mooring permit fee out yesterday. Long as the boatyard where I'm stored remains open shouldn't be a problem splashing her. Financially it is the best option for me in lieu of having to pay for summer storage.

Getting to the boat once in town is pretty straightforward. Find a place to park, walk through the park to the dinghy dock, head out to the boat. Being on a mooring or out fishing on a boat is the best way of maintaining social distancing, been practicing it for years

 

[JRT]

Always in the water has advantages here in Alabama. 30 min to our boat and a couple fishing poles on the back and we are all set no matter the state direction. Still it isn't easy call to make, but if you can launch and then maybe you all get your own dinghy and a nice electric motor and then just take day sails. I loved my time in RI and it would drive me crazy to look out all summer with the possibilty to at least enjoy my time on the water.

 

[Bob S]

Boatless Summer?

I'm on the hard and will require a transportation company (Simms or Brownell) to pick her and her mast to a boat ramp and step me. Not a lot of room on deck with three people for that process. So much for social distancing. My marina is scheduled to open April 15th but I've gotten notices from Martha's Vineyard(Chilmark) that they are not taking mooring reservations and I'm sure Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket will all be doing the same. Not sure what Narragansett Bay, Newport and north will be like but I have to assume the same. Very limited medical resources especially on the Islands. I believe the ferry services for Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have already been shut down to the public unless you are essential. I kinda felt like Rich does a month ago. I've paid my slip fees for the season but even if we do splash there are not a lot of options. There are a lot of areas we can anchor like in Menemsha Bite or outside Cutty Hunk or Edgartown but I'm sure we won't be able to go ashore. I love anchoring out and just chilling, grilling and just reading but without being able to go ashore and exploring .

User account | Chilmark MA

www.chilmarkma.gov

Whatever the season turns out to be for us all, please stay safe. I think the next 6 to 8 weeks will be the worst but my gut tells me this will go on way longer than that!

 

[Daveinet]

IMO I sincerely doubt that there will be any real peak and then drop until 60% of the population can be inoculated with a vaccine. ....
....There are still state and federal officials, clergy and other powerful people blowing off the experts' recommendations and insisting it is OK to go to church, have large functions and go to meetings. ...

Not till 60% of the population is inoculated with a vaccine, but rather until 60% of the population has been infected and then recovered. Once that happens, then you will see it die out. That and several 100 degree days would also help. My prediction would be mid-summer this will finally get under control.

You also mention clergy. I don't know of any clergy that are still encouraging church attendance. Our church has gone to totally online worship services. Every church I know of is doing that. Even in South Dakota, my brothers small church is online and there is no one with covid within a 100 mile radius of the city.

 

[dlochner]

@Daveinet You might have missed this news report:

Florida pastor arrested after holding church services despite coronavirus orders

Rodney Howard-Brown of The River at Tampa Bay allegedly showed "reckless disregard for human life and put hundreds of people from his congregation at risk."

www.nbcnews.com

and then Jerry Falwell, Jr, reopened Liberty University after spring break. In fairness I am posting the article which disputes the original reporting. I have some limited experience with the leadership of Liberty University, based on that experience I trust the NYT considerably more than any one from Liberty U.

Liberty University welcomed coronavirus to campus last week, the New York Times reported. That's 'false,' university says.

After the New York Times reported that multiple Liberty students had gotten sick after returning to campus, the Virginia university pushed back.

www.usatoday.com

 

[All U Get]

I am really feeling bad for you guys so I thought it over and if your marina won’t let you on your boat, you can come and work on mine. I’ll even supply the masks. I got LBJ, Nixon, Clinton, and Bush. I know that’s awfully generous, but I really care about your emotional well being.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I am really feeling bad for you guys so I thought it over and if your marina won’t let you on your boat, you can come and work on mine. I’ll even supply the masks. I got LBJ, Nixon, Clinton, and Bush. I know that’s awfully generous, but I really care about your emotional well being.

What a guy......

 

[Tally Ho]

I put my boat In a little early, just ahead of our state “shut down” Order....now the marina is closed and they will not me get to my boat. Called and asked if I could check her lines and the bilge today. Denied.

I think at this point, I might as well have them haul her out. I am waiting to see if Indiana Governor pushes the state-wide stay at home order through the end of April...(currently through April 7). He advised that schools would not reopen this spring...kids out until fall...so I suspect the stay at home order will be extended...

Could be a boat-less summer

What a bummer.

Greg

 

[Rich Stidger]

I put my boat In a little early, just ahead of our state “shut down” Order....now the marina is closed and they will not me get to my boat. Called and asked if I could check her lines and the bilge today. Denied.

Greg

That is really bad. I'm sorry for your situation. I guess this could actually happen to any of us.

 

[Daveinet]

dlochner, I saw that about the Florida nut case after I posted. I guess there will always be a few.
BTY: The NYT is the last people I would trust. They have quite the track record.

 

[DougM]

My initial concern was directed at the ability to get into the yard, do the prep work, get my boat launched, and move it home. As the “stay at home“ time frame expands, that concern turns to what happens at the end of the season if I cannot get by boat back into winter storage before the fall storms, or worse yet, everything freezes?

 

[DayDreamer41]

I called the yard earlier this week where our Sapphire is resting and they are open, so I can access the boat to prep her for launch, but, as it stands now the club can't put together a work party to remove the bubbler's, so they have put out a notice that if you launch your boat you can't dock in your well, there is docking along the wall on the river, but there is a lot of surge so I think we are just going to sit tight for a bit, yes its a "B" to shorten the already short season but I believe this is in our best interest.

 

[shemandr]

Tough choices!

 

[Rich Stidger]

Here is the latest from my mooring marina in RI. Email transcript below:

Marina Customers,
We hope all of you are safe and well.
The following guidelines were set into motion this morning April 3 at 0900 by the State of RI. Please understand these are not marina issued but State issued guidelines that we will be abiding by immediately.
1. There shall be no out of state residents allowed to work on their boats. This includes any contractors from out of state as well.
2. There shall be no recreational boating from out of state residents until further notice.
3. If a vessel arrives by water from out of state, all parties on the vessel must quarantine for 14 days. You must contact the dept of health 222-8022 or helpri.gov . A quarantine flag shall be flown during this time. The marina must be notified of your arrival.
4. Days at sea do not count toward your 14 days of quarantine.
5. When our Launch service is up & running we will be practicing social distancing which will dramatically limit the number of occupants it may carry . This will be for RI residents until further notice.
6. Under the US Commerce act , truckers will be allowed to truck boats into the state.
7. Everyone working on a boat , owners and contractors will be required to wear gloves and masks.
These regulations are currently in effect from today April 3 to April 30. If the dates for the guidelines are modified in any way by the Governor of RI we will inform our customers as quickly as possible.
Please remember we are all inconvenienced in many ways through these difficult times and we will get through this together by practicing safe guidelines and kindness.
Our previous email still stands in effect as to limit the amount of people here on the property at one time. The front boats to be launched in the first grouping between April 1st - April 15th have been notified. If you are not a RI resident in the first group of scheduled launches please contact us to assist you with prepping the boat to be ready for the launch.
Thank you for your cooperation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So since I live in Massachusetts, I think my decision will be clear. This definitely will be a boat-less summer.

I haven't heard from my storage marina yet, but I expect to receive a similar email.

 

[jason flare]

Here is the latest from my mooring marina in RI. Email transcript below:

Marina Customers,
We hope all of you are safe and well.
The following guidelines were set into motion this morning April 3 at 0900 by the State of RI. Please understand these are not marina issued but State issued guidelines that we will be abiding by immediately.
1. There shall be no out of state residents allowed to work on their boats. This includes any contractors from out of state as well.
2. There shall be no recreational boating from out of state residents until further notice.
3. If a vessel arrives by water from out of state, all parties on the vessel must quarantine for 14 days. You must contact the dept of health 222-8022 or helpri.gov . A quarantine flag shall be flown during this time. The marina must be notified of your arrival.
4. Days at sea do not count toward your 14 days of quarantine.
5. When our Launch service is up & running we will be practicing social distancing which will dramatically limit the number of occupants it may carry . This will be for RI residents until further notice.
6. Under the US Commerce act , truckers will be allowed to truck boats into the state.
7. Everyone working on a boat , owners and contractors will be required to wear gloves and masks.
These regulations are currently in effect from today April 3 to April 30. If the dates for the guidelines are modified in any way by the Governor of RI we will inform our customers as quickly as possible.
Please remember we are all inconvenienced in many ways through these difficult times and we will get through this together by practicing safe guidelines and kindness.
Our previous email still stands in effect as to limit the amount of people here on the property at one time. The front boats to be launched in the first grouping between April 1st - April 15th have been notified. If you are not a RI resident in the first group of scheduled launches please contact us to assist you with prepping the boat to be ready for the launch.
Thank you for your cooperation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So since I live in Massachusetts, I think my decision will be clear. This definitely will be a boat-less summer.

I haven't heard from my storage marina yet, but I expect to receive a similar email.

Rich,
Your marina is overreacting.
Here is the guidance from RI . gov:

https://files.constantcontact.com/8ca83b3a001/86d0cf37-00ca-407b-9228-9ca018f6032e.pdf

Discuss.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I am waiting to hear from my storage yard - also in RI. And I have been talking with another of my sailing friends who is stored at the same yard I am at. He thinks my mooring marina is mis-interpretating the RI guidance.

However, here is an email from another RI marina that is within 10 miles of my marinas. Note the denied use of the restrooms for customers:
EDITED to add: A previous email from Bristol Marine told of the complete closing of their other yard in Somerset, Massachusetts.

​

To our valued Bristol Marine customers: Spring is officially here, and boats are going in the water at our Bristol yard. We are adapting our daily routine in reaction to the spread of COVID-19 so that we can continue to provide service to our customers. Bristol Marine has implemented and enforced strict new policies for our employees and anyone entering our yards including sub-contractors, suppliers and also customers. We've also given our employees guidelines for how to best protect themselves while AWAY from work. As COVID-19 continues to spread, additional measures must now be taken to ensure a safe environment at our Bristol facility while continuing to launch boats. Therefore, effective immediately, we will be implementing these changes: All facility offices, buildings, workshops and restrooms are closed to the public. Our restroom combination has been changed and this space is currently available to employees only. The yard is open to customers to access their boats, but they must please check in with the yard General Manager Greg Bartoszuk by the posted phone number upon arrival during working hours (Monday through Friday, 7am-4:30pm). He will be able to answer all questions related to the boats and facility. Sub-contractors are allowed in the yard only with permission of the yard General Manager. They are encouraged to email in advance, but can also reach him upon arrival using the posted phone number. Launching of boats (and handling of them once in the water) is to be performed by Bristol Marine employees only. Boats will be launched and put on either the dock or a mooring, but will then be off-limits until employees have left the vessel. Employees will be wearing gloves and keeping as clean as possible, but owners must take responsibility for cleaning sanitizing their own boat once they've boarded. These policies will be strictly enforced, so please help us by following these important new rules. We all hope these changes are short-lived, and we understand that they will create some challenges particularly for those coming to work on their boats for a longer period of time. Our office team of Marilyn Shaw and Jenn Perley will be reaching out to you in advance of your launch date. Our expectation is that all boats will be going in the water, but we will do our best to help navigate through scheduling challenges. Please make sure that your slip or mooring will be ready for your boat once it goes in the water and communicate with us in advance (2 weeks before your launch) if you expect your launch schedule to be disrupted. We understand that this spring will bring unique challenges but will work to accommodate you as much as possible. Thanks for your patience, and please stay safe.

​

Bristol Marine